


The Canine and The Cat

by Devisaur



Category: Supergirl (TV 2015)
Genre: F/F
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-04-20
Updated: 2016-04-20
Packaged: 2018-06-03 09:00:04
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,824
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6604816
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Devisaur/pseuds/Devisaur
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>After a skirmish with a Fort Rozz alien Kara finds herself turned into a dog.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Canine and The Cat

**Author's Note:**

> This fandom is fond of calling Kara, puppy Kara. I took a more literal approach. 
> 
> I have a terrible track record with completing fics but this fandom, I have feeling, might hunt me down if I don't. 
> 
> No beta. Feel free to inform me of any mistakes. I'm constantly editing.

She hadn't expected this. A moment ago she was chasing a suspect along the harbor docks. Now she stares at her reflection in a puddle. The murky water ripples with the breeze but it doesn't completely distort the image. Her reflection doesn't contain golden locks or even the colors of her Supersuit. Instead Kara looks down seeing brown eyes and pointed ears. A dog not a Kyrptonain.  
  
\----  
A missile impacts the concrete wall next to Kara showering her in dust and debris. The rocks bounce off her skin but the dust engulfs her. Kara lets out a frustrated groan, she'd rather be at home finishing her painting. Once the dust settles she resumes her search trying to figure out which way he went.The alien of the week a Karlack. One that stands a good foot above Kara. The creature an amalgamation of bones, intestines, and rotting flesh. The visage slightly more bearable than the smell. To her dismay the buildings are lead lined preventing her from easily finding out which one he slinked into.  
  
A buzz sounds in her ear, yet it fizzles out before it connects. In a half-hearted attempt she taps the comm hoping it'll spring back to life.  
  
Instead her super hearing picks up a high pitched tone, the sound of an electric current being drawn in. She pivots too late to stop it. The building to her right explodes, fire mixed with shrapnel swirls around her. The concussive blast slams her into the metal behind her. It takes a moment to register but..it hurts.  
  
Kara tries to sit up only to unleash a torrent of pain. Pain on a magnitude she hasn't experienced in years. Her vertebras are shattered, completely immobilizing her.  
  
At twenty-four Kara still hasn't learned that everything is more painful than expected. But, she couldn't imagine this, each twinge sending hot stabbing pulses. In her head to prays to Rao but, she can feel her heart begin to slow. Death, Kara finds, she isn't afraid off. She doesn't find herself on her knees begging but instead staring up at the sky. The white clouds dot the light blue like a Jackson Pollock painting, and the birds fly in flocks. She decides she'll miss the breeze the most. The way it would curl around her body harsh but also welcoming. The direction of her thoughts startle her but then again she's dieing.  
  
The heavy foot falls pull her attention. But she can only shift her head a fraction. A shadow looms over her the smell of rotting flesh overpowers her senses. She gags. The shadow chuckles. She hears the click bracing herself for more pain she slides her eyes shut. The blast of energy tears through her normally invincible skin. It rips at her flesh with no regard for her screams.  
She coughs up a bit of blood. The crimson stains her lower jaw. The energy pulse activates again surging through her limbic system wreaking havoc. Kara manages to recover yet her breath rattles in her chest. A shiver runs down her spine, the blood loss sending her into a state of shock. She feels a light breeze bringing in the sea water. It smells of salt and garbage. One final shiver runs over her before she passes out.  
  
\--  
Kara can't pull herself away from the puddle, she dips a paw in feeling the cool water soak into her fur. She wiggles it creating a set of ripples. The sound of sirens draws her from her reflected image. A set of tires screech bringing a group of black SUVs to a halt. Tactical officers pour out adorned in full military gear. Even from this distance Kara knows who they are. She moves closer trying to spot Alex in the sea of black.  
  
The distinct click of a Beretta ARX 100 stops her. One of the DEO agents has the muzzle of his gun pointed straight at her. Despite her best efforts Kara feels her ears drop and her tail duck between her legs.  
  
"Dirk put the gun down, it's just a mutt." Kara perks up hearing Director Lane's voice, she sits her tailing wagging behind her. "Spread out find --"  
  
Kara barks interrupting Lucy's order earning her a glare. Not perfect but a start. She knows it's a long shot, the DEO will be looking for red, blue, and human not short, golden, and canine.  
  
"Like I said spread--" This time Kara doesn't wait she barks and barks. Growing increasingly frustrated that the words in her head aren't coming out as words. 'Lucy it's me' sounds more like 'woof woof ruff’, Lucy turns around to stare.  
  
'Comon' 'ruff' but Lucy simply stands there with her hand on her hip. Kara finds herself wrapped up barking at Lucy that she doesn't notice someone walk up behind her. The shadow looms causing Kara to turn around growling with her hackles raised. She glances up to find Alex behind her with a rope trying to leash her. Pure unadulterated glee courses through her body causing her to pounces on Alex knocking her to the ground. Gun safeties unclick but she doesn’t stop. She runs her wet tongue along Alex's face well aware that her tail is going a mile a minute. Alex wrestles with the mutt but it takes the co-director a minute before she can push Kara off. She looks at Kara with an aggravated glare that quickly abates.  
  
"Oh shit, Kara?" Her eyes wide in shock. Kara spins giving an appeased yip. Alex sits still in utter disbelief, not sure how to comprehend her sister getting turned into a dog. They both sit there staring at one another it reminds Kara of the staring contests they had as kids. She would always lose because her empowered senses inevitably distracted her.  
  
"Alex?" Lucy calls having moved behind Kara. She turns around bounding over to Lucy mid leap she feels her body start to fail, she lands in the puddle. The water soaking into her fur, she tries to get up but she can't. Hands grasp at her body pulling her out of the water. She can faintly hear Alex and Lucy shouting orders, while one of them does chest compressions. However their attempts don't stop her from blacking out.  
\--  
  
When Kara awakes she feels different. For a brief respite she wonders if she has finally died. Another death in a long cosmic chain.  
  
But the memories trickle in, the docks, the pain, the fact her DNA complex resembles a canines’.  
  
With a bit of difficulty, she pushes herself up but her paws slip on the slick metal. Her movements garner Alex and Lucy's attention.  
  
"Kara, calm down." Alex's voice soothes Kara only a fraction. But it doesn’t prevent her from careening over the side of the table. She crashes in a mess of limbs and fur. A strong feeling of helplessness takes root inside Kara. She tries to push it away, back into a corner of her mind. But this situation is too familiar, at fourteen years old and now at twenty-four she's forced to navigate another brand new world. A low gut-wrenching whimper escapes her muzzle; Kara cannot do this again. The first time she felt this helpless was as a child but she survived because children are resilient. But this time, she's an adult no longer dazzled by gloss and glamor of this world.  
  
She shakes.  
  
A pair of arms encircle her neck, the scent of chemicals and gunpowder surround her. Alex runs her hands along Kara's back, tangling through her fur. It takes a while for Kara to stop shaking, the anxiety still comes in waves but they're smaller. Alex pulls back cupping Kara's face.  
  
"We'll fix this." She scratches Kara's ear in reassurance, it sends a warm jolt through her body. Enough to cause her tail to wag a smidge. Alex gives a low chuckle while continuing to scratch. Kara decides to ignore the fact that her sister is petting her like a common house pet. And well now she understands why dogs have an incessant need to be touched.  
  
Finally, Alex stops.  
  
"We need to run some more tests Kara. We still haven't ascertained what went wrong." The news appears less than promising based on the look Lucy shoots Alex. "Can you hop back up here?" Alex pats the examining table which sends odd urge to please her through Kara’s body. The mutt attempts to jump on the table but her claws can't grab purchase. Loud scraping echoes in the room until Alex rescues her from a fall backward pushing her up the extra few feet. This time she carefully places her paws not inclined to land on the floor, again.  
  
Kara stares into the mirror on the side wall. For a dog she isn't terrible looking. Her thick coat a dark golden color, a long tail, and two pointed ears. The most distinguishing feature her face, almost fox like in appearance. But she doesn't sit much taller than a German Shepard. Whatever breed of dog Kara resembles she isn't familiar with.  
  
Kara cocks her head again, watching her body muscles respond. The changes concern her, when she first came to earth her body was a warzone. Each part could commit atrocities, blow up a building, rip someone apart. For a long time, her brain conjured horrific visages to torment her at night. She'd wake in a cold sweat with ripped sheets.

A few syringes appear on the table drawing her to the matter at hand. She sits still for Alex, whom draws more blood than Kara truly feels comfortable with.

Lucy notices Kara's growing discomfort in the form of her ears laid back against her head. She manages to persuade Alex to leave the poor puppy alone. Kara tilts her head to the side but decides she doesn't mind that Lucy specifically used the word puppy.

The metal under her paws feels cool, unsettling, unnatural. The concrete floor feels the same however she's not afraid of losing her footing. She follows the co-directors into the main room. People mull around, categorizing equipment, generating reports. The amount of commotion in the room has Kara on edge. Her new height sends a course of fear through her when one of the agents’ command boots nearly comes down on her paw. She dashes under the command table, finding temporary relief.

Jeremiah. He would know how to help her transition like he did when she first arrived. The man had a way about him, a calm steady voice full of sympathy but not enough to be pity. But he isn't here, instead he's dead and Kara cowers under the table, afraid.

"Agent Vasquez anything on the weapon?" Lane requests her voice taking on an authoritative tone.

"No ma'am, it isn't in the Fort Rozz database either."

Kara lets out a small grunt, which sounds more like a growl. Of course no one hears it. She lays her head between her paws watching the boots roam around. They all happen to be black military combat boots but she can tell the difference. The pair will deep gouges along the top Alexs’. The pristine ones, Lucys’. Slightly worn, Vasquezs’.

Alex snaps her fingers at something causing Kara to rush out weaving between her legs looking up expectantly. The room goes quiet, but Kara felt an inexplicable urge to obey. That feeling keeps arising but Kara ignores it for now.

She cocks her head waiting for a command. Vasquez snorts, and appears to be trying to hold back a sarcastic comment. Kara imagines the comment being 'Supergirl, well trained, excels in obedience, agility, and cuteness?'. She can't blame Vasquez her predicament is mildly amusing but also depressing.

"Keep working on it." Vasquez gives a cursory nod before walking back towards her desk. After the short debrief everyone heads off to work on their assigned tasks leaving Kara alone.

It hurts.

It hurts and Kara can't figure out why. Her entire life she has grown up partially alone, after her planet, after the red kryptonite. But this time it feels like a sharp jab of kryptonite into her sternum. A small whine rises in her throat but she manages to squelch it. Supergirl, dog or no, shouldn't let out a whine in the middle of the DEO due to lack of attention.

Vasquez has returned to her desk, working on a linguistics problem no doubt. In previous conversations Kara found out that agent knew a little bit of Kryptonian. During their downtime they would often have simple conversations, long enough to make Kara feel at home.

Kara decides to slink under Vasquez's desk considering the director's office remains firmly shut. She gets a raised eyebrow thrown her way but Vasquez accepts her new desk companion without complaint. The floor still hurts Kara's paws but she lays down curling in on herself.

\--

"It's been two days. Kara is obviously bored out of her mind. And Cat will wonder where her assistant is come tomorrow."

Kara's ears perk up at the sound of Cat's name. So far they've been able to ignore her job considering the transfiguration occurred on a Friday evening. However, in the two days allotted Alex has made no headway. Even from her new height she can see the bags under her sister’s eyes.

But Winn has a point Kara finds herself bored. No one in the DEO can afford to take time out of their schedule to play with her. She can garner a few pats on the head but she longs for the wind in her coat.

The conversation strikes close to home Ms. Grant could fire her. Between the incident with the black mercy, tossing her off a building, Adam, and now this. She doesn't want to become Supergirl full time. If they forced her to open herself to every cry for help. She wouldn't survive having to hear the little boy get pushed down the stairs by his father, the young man cocking a gun against his temple because he's trans, the soldier on the 4th floor of the National City hospital praying to Allah because her girlfriend has cancer. She'd lose herself in all the static.

She needs her job.

She creeps out from underneath Vasquez's desk, her nails clink along the concrete.

"What would you have me do, drop her off and say here's your assistant?" Alex drawls, clearly unswayed by Winn's point.

"What if-" Winn cuts himself off with a snap of his fingers, his face spreads into a grin "What if we say she's Kara's dog. I can claim I'm taking care of the pup while Kara's at home helping her foster mother?"

Alex crosses her arms but doesn't immediately reply. Deciding Winn needs support she dashes to him barking her agreement. Alex looks vaguely amused as Winn gives Kara a pat on the head.

"Yeah you wanna come with me don't you." Winn's voice dips into the 'doggy voice'. It should bother Kara but she wiggles whole frame pushing into to Winn. "See?"

Alex rolls her eyes but agrees to let him take Kara. On the condition that he checks in daily, and they have to stay at Kara's apartment. She makes Winn sign an egregious amount of forms and continues to pill them on until Kara gives a firm growl.

Winn barely notices too excited about finally being able to be an agent. The way he lights up about the tech they provide him makes her wonder if Vasquez and Winn would get along. Especially considering Vasquez has a streak for modifying tech without asking. No one has yet to figure out how she rigged the Wii controls to randomize the Mario Cart control schema.

Kara asked once, all Vasquez did was mutter engineering degree.

They make it back to her apartment by midafternoon. The key unlocks the door with a slight click, Kara dashes into her apartment happy to be home.

Winn excuses himself, telling Kara he needs to go buy dog supplies. Because despite the fact she's fully mentally aware the law requires her to be leashed. The moment the door shuts her body starts to shake. She rushes to the front door scratching. Her claws dig into the wood. A low pitch whine starts in her throat; she wants to stop it but she can't.

She howls until a neighbor knocks on the wall. With her tail between her legs she slinks into her bedroom failing asleep in the middle of her bed.

\---

"So I'm thinking I can take you into work with me." Kara tilts her head to the side while wolfing down the last pot sticker. "The company policy allows helping dogs on the premises." Kara's eyes slightly narrow. "No hear me out. Since you know.” He pauses “My Dad, I have anxiety and they recommended I get a dog to help out."

His plan has merit but she knows Cat will see right through it. Yet, Kara nods knowing she can't exactly provide an alternative.

Winn gives her a pat on the head before moving to clean up the takeout. By the time he finishes the illuminated clock on the cable box reads midnight. He rubs the back of his neck muddling around in the living room.

Kara can sense his nervousness, the man clearly unsure of where to sleep. She strolls over to the closet giving a small yip, inside are sheets for the pull out sofa. With the pullout couch properly made he bids Kara good night, slipping under the covers.

From inside her room she can hear Winn's breathing, not quite REM sleep but close. However, no matter how many times she turns around she can't get comfortable. Dogs are pack creatures and her new body keeps amplifying her loneliness. No longer able to stand it Kara slinks off the bed padding into the main area. She stops in front of the pull out couch letting out a low whine.

Winn opens his eyes.

"Do you need to go out?"

Kara shakes her head and whines again. Winn in his fatigued state rattles off a half-a-dozen other questions not coming close to the mark. Frustrated, Kara takes action jumping on the couch settling into his side. He freaks out for a moment before accepting it. The warmth radiating from his body settles her. His hand combs through her fur.

"We'll figure this out Kara. But until then we'll stick together. That's what best friends do." His words swirl around in the darkness. Kara knows he means it.

\---

They make it to the top floor, Kara sticking next to Winn's side. It's too early for anyone else besides Winn to be on the floor. And to both their surprises security didn't ask a single question. Winn drops a dog bed underneath his desk along with a bowl of water.

The vest he has fastened around Kara's torso is snug but not enough to be uncomfortable. Honestly the only thing she hates happens to be the collar. It catches on her fur every once in a while setting her on edge. Kara curls up, she sleeps a lot more than she used to.

As the day progress various sounds filter under the desk but she doesn't pay much attention. They're familiar, the jamming of the copier, the indistinguishable conversations, even Derek's incessant stapling. That man really needs to learn about paper clips. She finally rouses when she hears Ms. Grant yell out Winn's name, though it sounds like Wilt this time. He dashes out of his chair and into her office not wishing to occur anymore wrath than necessary.

From this distance, even without her super hearing, she can hear Ms. Grant ask about her. She winces hearing Winn try to retell the story he told Alex. Ms. Grant lets out a small sigh clearly frustrated.

"Where are my glasses?" Ms. Grant scours her desk looking under papers, in her drawers. Kara can see them tucked under her desk. The glasses situated in a weird way that without being on ground level Ms. Grant would never find them. In her mind Kara briefly pictures Ms. Grant on her hands and knees reaching for her glasses, it wouldn't do.

Despite a voice in her head, one that sounds remarkably like Alex, say that this would be a bad idea. She bounds into the office with enough speed that Ms. Grant doesn't see her. Winn on the other hand looks mortified no doubt concerned about both their lives. But a part of Kara can't stop being helpful.

It makes her feel useful, connected to a planet that she has no real allegiance to. A planet that on a daily basis reminds her how much better Krypton was. The race older, wiser in some regards, more inclined to help than hate. Or that's how she remembers Krypton and Kara knows memories are always bias.

She manages to wiggle under the desk her new found size incredibly versatile. She picks up the edge of the glasses with her teeth careful not to scratch them. With ease she crawls back out walking around to the side of the desk where she promptly sits. Kara lets out a small woof drawing Ms. Grant's attention.

No one moves. Kara keeps especially still, well aware of Ms. Grant's hatred for surprises. The memory of Adam Grant surges forth still fresh, along with the wounds it entails.

"Will, there is a dog in my office." Ms. Grant states her voice void of any discernible emotion.

"Yes, Ms. Grant you see, Kara well," he stutters "Kara is out of town and I'm dog sitting and, Kara's dog gets lonely all day and I felt bad and--" Kara tunes him out, aware that this explanation will likely end up with both of them getting fired. It’s not the one they agreed on, but she knows Winn doesn't handle spur of the moment situations all that well. Instead she focuses on Ms. Grant.

She can tell the CEO is on edge, her hands playing with the cuffs on her blazer, the fact she doesn't interrupt Winn. In fact, she hasn't stopped looking at Kara since she made herself known. That instinct pulses again telling her that Ms. Grant isn't okay. She tries to scooch forward to give Ms. Grant her glasses, yet the second her paw lifts Ms. Grant's eyes widen.

Cat doesn't like dogs.

It would be amusing if it didn't also depress Kara. She keeps getting rejected by Cat no matter what form she takes. Kara tries not to take it personally, aware that Ms. Grant has no idea who she is, but her ears still drop. Kara carefully let’s go of the glasses placing them onto the floor. She backs away focusing on maintaining an nonthreatening pose. Once she manages a good four feet Cat relaxes enough to bend over and grab her glasses. She still seems wary but perhaps Kara has managed to earn a little bit of her trust.

"What's the mutt’s name?" Ms. Grant inquires finally interrupting Winn. He flounders for a moment.

"Zor'el." He utters. Kara nearly tackles him but manages to keep herself restrained hypervigilant of Ms. Grant. "Yep she's Zor'el Danvers."

"Keep her out of my office. And," her voice lowers to a more serious register "the only reason she's allowed to stay is because she's been more useful that half of my employees today." Winn nods motioning for Kara to exit. Kara leisurely pads back to Winn's desk. From where Kara curls up she can keep an eye on Ms. Grant. On occasion they lock glances but mostly Kara sleeps.

 

\----

 

"Kara." The voice awakens her. Winn had gone for a dinner break promising to be back to finish some last minute code in an hour or so. Realistically he shouldn't have left her, but Kara pushed him out tired of hearing his stomach growl.

She hears her name again and creeps out from under the desk. The direction has her walking into to Ms. Grant's office. There's a faint sigh, Kara strains but can hear the sounds of a voicemail. "Heya this is Kara leave a message--" Ms. Grant is calling her.

But why?

Ms. Grant doesn't leave a message but Kara picks up on her sadness. The ability to sense human emotions keeps catching her off guard. Kara walks towards the cabinet pulling open the bottom drawer with her nose. It smells of dark chocolate; she takes a closed bag walking towards the balcony. She performs the muffled bark routine again.

Ms. Grant jumps, the reaction sending a small wave of pain to Kara's heart. She keeps still, knowing the anything could set Ms. Grant even further on edge.

"M&M's?"

Kara doesn't respond to the question instead she drops the package onto the floor. She pushes it forward with her nose and then backs away until she's in the center of Ms. Grant's office. They regard one another in trepidation. To Kara the situation feels out of place.

Their roles should be reversed, Ms. Grant trying to entice Kara with cupcakes and bacon. Not necessarily in that order, but she should be the one terrified. Afraid that Ms. Grant will take her to the pound or throw her out onto the street. She would deserve it after the red kryptonite fiasco. Those memories replay in her head more often than she likes.

Logically, she knows it wasn't her. That she had been manipulated but her heart won't let her take the easy way out. More days that not she will wake up fighting a nightmare that leaves her gasping for breath. On those mornings she stares at the mirror hoping the person staring back will not have red kryptonite pulsing in their veins. A crack resides in her mirror at home from a moment which she wasn't sure.

Ms. Grant clicks her fingers drawing Kara's attention. The M&M's package disappeared from sight, likely already devoured.

National's city's skyline glows behind Ms. Grant creating a magnificent back drop to an already beautiful sight. Kara knows about her crush, her 'infatuation' with her boss but she pushes it back in her mind to the same place she pushes her pain. Maybe if she could associate Ms. Grant with pain the crush would dissipate.

It doesn't work.

When Ms. Grant clicks her fingers again Kara realizes that Ms. Grant wants her to come closer. Even from this distance she can see the CEO’s fingers tremble.

Kara moves slowly until she stands at the threshold between Ms. Grant's office and the balcony. The woman sits on a patio chair setting her scotch down on a table. Kara waits for a signal to come closer curious but not willing to push their boundaries.

"Come here mutt." her voice dips at the end but Kara obeys without hesitance. She situates herself between Ms. Grant's legs resting her face on top of her white slacks. Not concerned with leaving a few, a lot, of golden fur behind.

The Ice Queen tenses. Kara can feel Cat’s heart beat thrumming. She knows that frequency. She heard it during the encounters with Liveware, Banshee, and even Supergirl.

Her eyes slam shut trying to block out the memory, Cat's face of pure terror. The scream she let out. The problem is when Kara looks back at that instance, she felt warmth when Cat's body nestled into hers. Her real feelings had broken through in her drug ridden stupor. Worst of all, she doesn't feel remorse about her feelings. And it concerns her. Horrifies her.

An inexplicable need to escape rises, no longer feeling that Cat is safe around her. Yet at that precise moment Cat runs her fingers along Kara's head and down her back.

She melts.

If Kara had been a cat she'd be purring instead her tail wiggles knocking Cat's shoe with every pass.

"I miss your Mom." The words escape Cat in a gasp like she tried to hold them back. Kara moves her head. "Don't look at me like that Mutt. You know exactly who I am. The ice-queen missing her assistant."

Kara wants to tell her that moniker doesn't comes close to the true Cat Grant.

The Cat Grant Kara knows defies characterization. A woman wrapped in a set of hidden morals that define her decisions. She knows Cat thrives on touch because her words will never convey how she feels. But in recent months she keeps her hands to herself. No longer fixing Kara's collar or sliding a hand down her arm because of being rejected by Adam and her mother.

She knows that Cat hides the guilt of having her employees turn into monsters behind her acerbic retorts. Kara knows Cat cares.

Trying to combat the feeling of sadness on behalf of Cat, Kara snuggles farther into her hands.

Cat takes her time petting Kara, she doesn't rush like Vasquez. Her nails work along the top of Kara's head past her ears and down into the thick fur on her back. For a brief moment Kara imagines Cat doing this to her regular body. After a long day coming home to a warm body she can curl up against. With each stroke Kara can hear Cat relax, the stress and anxiety working out. The CEO becomes bolder scratching under Kara's jaw, trailing down to rub her chest.

An instinct inside Kara takes over causing her to roll onto her back exposing her belly. She stares up at Cat hoping to convey her adoration.

"You seem like a spoiled dog. Does Kara treat you well?"

Even on her back Kara wiggles her tail. She gives a low woof in response. It takes a moment before Kara realizes Cat called her by her name. The hard 'Car' followed by a soft smooth 'a'. She wants to hear it again: during board meetings, when she's in her supersuit, in the middle of an intimate moment.

Cat runs her hand through Kara's abdominal fur, it gets caught a few times on tangled hair. After the third occurrence she scoffs, Kara tries to ascertain what part Cat disproves of.

"Winfrey needs to brush you, your coat is in knots." She tuts continuing to work on the matted hair. Kara doesn't particularly like this part but she puts up with it aware they’re bonding. "However, it is the norm for a Harzer Fuchs."

Of course Cat Grant would know the breed she resembled in addition to pronouncing it in perfect German. But Cat fears dogs. Why would she able to perfectly pronounce the name of a rare German dog breed if she doesn't like them. The new information sends Kara into a minor tizzy trying to come up with some sort of hypothesis.

The matting in Kara's fur disappears by the time Winn returns.

He bolts into Ms. Grant's office an apology already spilling off his tongue. She silences him with a classic Cat Grant stare.

"Take Kiera's mutt Winfrey. Be back tomorrow 8'clock with my regular from Noonan's."

Winn shoots her a look; she deciphers it as 'let's go before I lose my job or manhood or both'. She leaves glancing back long enough to see Cat attempt to brush the dog fur off her pants. Kara decides she rather not risk bring scolded for shedding all over the place.

For a first day as Cat Grant's dog assistant she decides she did alright.

\---

Winn has a rather long conversation in the car about boundaries. Especially considering her stunt with Cat Grant left him in a rather precarious position. She lays down in the passenger seat looking up at him with big brown eyes.

"Are you giving me puppy eyes right now? Kara this is serious." He tries to retort but by the time they pull into the parking lot next to her apartment he relents.

The rest of the night goes by smoothly, most of the time devoted to Winn working out Cat Grant's Noonan order from Kara’s barks. In her head she thinks: scalding, one sugar, pinch of cinnamon, half a cream, and if the temperature outside is below 55 a teaspoon of honey. It takes Winn a while to get all that.

This time before bed there is no awkward shuffle instead Kara falls asleep next to Winn's thigh.  
  
\----  
  
The next few days proceed the same way. In the office by 7:45 with Cat's coffee. Winn works while Kara sleeps. She jerks awake anytime Cat lets out a sound of displeasure. A few times she knocks her head straight into Winn's knee by accident. In the evening Winn makes a dinner run aware that Cat will only interact with Kara if she's alone.  
As always, Kara remains mindful. She sits at the threshold until beckoned, upon which Cat runs her fingers through her fur.

Kara doesn't recognize it a first but Cat is using her to curb her frustrations from the day. She uses the knots in Kara's fur as a surrogate for all the disorder in her life. In these sessions Cat doesn't talk much, an occasional word but never a fully formed thought. These encounters play with the strings in Kara's kryptonain heart. They pluck a tone Kara swore she'd never hear.

Love.

It runs in a three forth time, synchronizing to Cat's heartbeat. Kara basks in these quiet moments aware the minute Alex figures out a solution they'll disappear.

On day five Carter meanders into the office finished with school for the day. Of course he spots Kara within seconds, she looks at him tail wagging. The kid runs into his Mom's office giving her a quick hug before asking if he can play with 'the puppy'.

Kara feels a surge of pride seeing him employ his own version of puppy eyes on his mom. Of course it works. Kara runs into the office mouth full with a red blue rope tug toy. According to Lucy she saw it at the store and had to get it, after all they’re Supergirl colors.

Carter walks over a little cautious at first but soon enough they're rough housing. The small growls she emits are entirely friendly in nature. Carter is on his rear bracing his feet into the carpet trying to keep a hold of the toy while Kara pulls back in a downward dog position. It's a test of strength, one Kara happens to know she'll win but instead she lets go.

Carter gives a successful cheer only to notice that Kara stares at him. She schools her features into the ‘sad puppy’ look wanting to lay the guilt on extra thick. He gives her the toy obviously concerned he did something wrong. She picks it up and scurries under Cat's desk knocking into the woman's legs.

She doesn't jump but she casts a disapproving glance through the glass top.

"She played me."

Cat chuckles.

"She did indeed."

On the eighth day things go FUBAR.

**Author's Note:**

> If you're interested the dog picture I based Kara's new form off of it can be found (https://retrieverman.files.wordpress.com/2012/02/harzer-fuchs.jpg)


End file.
